Been looking for this thread for a couple of days and haven't seen it.... Anyone make anything of the notion that the each of the four freighties is analogous to a member of the Fantastic Four?

Daniel Faraday, shy, twitchy, insecure physics genius == Reed Richards, a.k.a. Mr. Fantastic (the bendy guy), shy insecure physics genius. (And Michael Faraday is the name of a famous physicist who contributed to fields of electromagnetism).

Hot tempered Myles Straum (maelstrom: a violent & turbulant storm) == Johnny Storm, a.k.a. The Human Torch.

Big, gruff pilot Frank Lapidus (Lapides is the latin word for "stone") == Ben Grimm, the guy made out of rocks who was also the FF pilot.

Leaving Charlotte Staples Lewis == Invisible Girl?

This all comes from the EW.com article, "Chute First and Ask Questions Later" pretty spoilerfilled, here's the link: http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20177008,00.html

I think the connections of the first three are pretty obscure, but then when you look at them pretty solid. Especially the way they're written in the article....

And did you notice that each one corresponded to a member of the Fantastic Four, another quartet of curious characters who fell from the heavens after bumping through a weird-science squall of cosmic rays?

Gee, no, Senior Writer Jeff Jensen, I didn't notice. And nobody else noticed. And you never would've noticed either, if you hadn't extracted an off-the-record scoop from an inside source in exchange for prominent play in your multimedia dishrag!

The only character who doesn't have a strong FF tie-in is Charlotte, here's my theory about that:

Her name isn't really Charlotte Staples Lewis (and she's Ben's mole). Dollars to doughnuts says her real name is Sue or Susan or something like that

LOL...they sure have fun with names on Lost. I wouldn't read anything more into it than that though.

Isn't there more than 4 people on the freighter?! Don't forget Regina and Minkowski.
Possibly more, who knows?!
Is "freighter four" a term I missed in the episode?!

The fantastic four are each based on one of the four Greek elements of matter, as per Empedocles. They are:

Water - Reed
Air - Sue
Fire - Johnny (duh)
Earth - Ben (double duh)

In the episode, each of these characters has a memorable moment associated with one of these elements. Lapidus is first seen on the island in close association with the earth. Charlotte with water. Myles associates with invisible (airy) beings, and Daniel notices the light, which is a property of fire.

Now that you have planted this thought in my head, I'm going to go and see if I can find any other connections to the elements.

The fantastic four are each based on one of the four Greek elements of matter, as per Empedocles. They are:

Water - Reed
Air - Sue
Fire - Johnny (duh)
Earth - Ben (double duh)

In the episode, each of these characters has a memorable moment associated with one of these elements. Lapidus is first seen on the island in close association with the earth. Charlotte with water. Myles associates with invisible (airy) beings, and Daniel notices the light, which is a property of fire.

Now that you have planted this thought in my head, I'm going to go and see if I can find any other connections to the elements.

Didn't they all have a close association with the earth, being that they all live on it and gravity keeps them on it?! They are all associated with water as well. Dan in the rain, Charlotte in the water, Frank is from an Island which is surrounded by water and Miles, I'm sure enjoys a nice glass of water from time to time. They are all associated to light as well with the blinking transponders. And as for the island, it seems pretty invisible to the out side world.

I'm with E.A. on this one......the fantastic 4 is a bit of a stretch.....great idea..but a stretch

I'm with E.A. on this one......the fantastic 4 is a bit of a stretch.....great idea..but a stretch

Lol "Stretch" i get it... good one...

We first see Faraday he is standing in the rain right?
And Charlotte is free floating in the air hanging by her parachute when we first see her.
Frank Lapidus is hugging the ground when we first see him, but there is no reference to fire with Miles except ofcourse for the fact that he had firepower at the ready with his gun.

-Exodus

Also, all we got to see of Daniel's partner/wife/girlfriend was her shirt. (Invisible so to speak)

So who the heck is Dr. Doom?
You gotta have Dr. Doom if you got the Fantastic Four.

Also, all we got to see of Daniel's partner/wife/girlfriend was her shirt. (Invisible so to speak)

So who the heck is Dr. Doom?
You gotta have Dr. Doom if you got the Fantastic Four.

Abbadon: destruction, aka doom.

LOL...they sure have fun with names on Lost. I wouldn't read anything more into it than that though.


I get the impression that none of the Freighties are giving their proper names. Miles Straum (maelstrom) ... Charlotte Staples Lewis (after CS Lewis the author) ,,,, Daniel Faraday (after Michael Faraday the physicist). It's like they were told to make some names up for the mission and these just sprung into their minds.

Maybe they are keeping their forenames but making up family names.... Possibly to hide a parental connection? We have seen in the past on the show that father/family issues seem to play a big part.

There was never a mention of a "Freighter 4"!!!!!!!
And as far as we know there are at least 2 more on the Freighter (Regina and Minkowski).
Earth, wind, fire and water are everyday elements, each and everyone of us is exposed to them daily. It has no singular, significant or suggestive character trait to any of the individuals who came on the helicopter.

Seeing as this thread is about a comic book.

I will rate it it the only way I know how, from the mouth of the Comic Book Guy.

"Worst thread ever"

Lol "Stretch" i get it... good one...

We first see Faraday he is standing in the rain right?
And Charlotte is free floating in the air hanging by her parachute when we first see her.
Frank Lapidus is hugging the ground when we first see him, but there is no reference to fire with Miles except ofcourse for the fact that he had firepower at the ready with his gun.

-Exodus


not what i ment at all.....i think that this idea is so far fetched....your overdoing it.

"Worst thread ever"

Aw, be a sport, EA! OK, you can rate this worst thread ever. But if "Charlotte Staples Lewis" turns out to be a fake name, and her real name is actually something related to "Sue Storm" or an invisible girl, you owe me mad props....:biggrin:

****************
So who the heck is Dr. Doom?
You gotta have Dr. Doom if you got the Fantastic Four.

Abbadon: destruction, aka doom.

Awesome catch, Lost Junkie! You sent me to Wikipedia for "Abaddon" --- that dude is packing some serious bad mojo with that handle.... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abaddon

Again, here's what I think is the most compelling argument for the FF connection: You have to consider the source. It's Entertainment Weekly, a major mainstream media publication. EW has TPTB in its rolodex and dials direct. EW has clout, and also, is always looking for a scoop to remain relevant, because places like the Fuselage scare them silly (why read EW when we can get better news here?)

EW isn't going to print something silly like "The Four Freighties are the Fantastic Four" without some sort of OK -- even off the record OK -- from TPTB. If the theory originated from someone on the boards, then I can see meeting it w/ more skepticism. But Jeff Jensen is a working entertainment journalist. He doesn't have *time* to sit and think about LOST all day, 'cause he's also got to write about a bunch of other shows that are a lot cruddier. And he's got an editor yelling at him every Monday morning yelling: "So what have you got for me for this week's Lost Feature??!! Something exclusive!! Something that's not on the boards!!" Just read the article, it's four pages where the FF is featured heavily. And ask yourself, is Jeff Jensen winging it with a speculative theory, or is he writing with an inside scoop?

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20177008,00.html

Plus you got to look at the evidence: Lapidus is "stone", Straum is "storm", and Faraday is a genius physicist (and Abaddon is Doom). Not only is he writing with certainty, the evidence is credible.

We have John Locke, Danielle Rousseau, and now CS Lewis shooting at each other on an invisible island, why can't we have comic book people? It's just an artistic mixture of highbrow- and lowbrow- culture --- The sacred and the profane. You say adding comic book heros is silly, but I say it's just good writing willing to steal from all available sources. Remember, this is a show where plane crash survivors all look like supermodels except for the fat guy, and no matter how dirty they get, they always have amazing, billowy hair. If anything, naming them after the shining lights of the Enlightenment is ridiculous. Naming them after superheros? Perfect.

I like the idea that they all seem to have certain connection with the elements, water, air, fire, and earth (as someone said earlier) I think that, that is what connects them with the Fantastic 4 but, I don't think it's a specific refrence to them. I agree with what Quinch said,

I get the impression that none of the Freighties are giving their proper names. Miles Straum (maelstrom) ... Charlotte Staples Lewis (after CS Lewis the author) ,,,, Daniel Faraday (after Michael Faraday the physicist).

Their names have certain meanings but, I don't think the Freighter 4 are a reference to the Fantastic 4. It's a little bit too random and far fetched to be true.

If anything it's more of a connection between the elements.

Aw, be a sport, EA! OK, you can rate this worst thread ever. But if "Charlotte Staples Lewis" turns out to be a fake name, and her real name is actually something related to "Sue Storm" or an invisible girl, you owe me mad props....:biggrin:

Nice, just throwing a Simpons joke in there...
However, Deal... :).

not what i ment at all.....i think that this idea is so far fetched....your overdoing it.

eh... yeah i know... its an unintenional joke on ur part.
And im not "overdoing" anything, im spitballing...

Considering the amount of detail writers put into peoples names and details about their background i can totally see them doing something like this just to see if we catch it.

-Exodus

Remember, this is a show where plane crash survivors all look like supermodels except for the fat guy, and no matter how dirty they get, they always have amazing, billowy hair.

Okay, good point. It's been 90 days on the island right? (give or take a few) Shouldn't someone (I'm looking at you Hurley, with your curls) be incubating some dreadlocks by now? I don't recall seeing a comb or a brush.

I totally buy the Freighter Four.

I totally buy the Freighter Four.

I got a bridge for sale too. :biglaugh:

As far as the names being 'false'...
Miles introduced himself as Miles Straum to that woman.
And wasn't Charlotte being called, well, Charlotte by her indian friend in the desert????
100%
I get the impression that none of the Freighties are giving their proper names. Miles Straum (maelstrom) ... Charlotte Staples Lewis (after CS Lewis the author) ,,,, Daniel Faraday (after Michael Faraday the physicist). It's like they were told to make some names up for the mission and these just sprung into their minds.

Maybe they are keeping their forenames but making up family names.... Possibly to hide a parental connection? We have seen in the past on the show that father/family issues seem to play a big part.

I don't know why you get that impression. TPTB have done that with, probably, every single mysterious character on this show. Names MEAN something in Lost. Just to name a few:

John Locke
Henry Gale
Minkowski
Faraday
Hawkins


Actually the list is probably endless. And yes. they do that on purpose. But it is not because they are using fake names.

I just made a further possible FF connection after checking out the thread "Are Miles and Marvin Candle Related?"

http://thefuselage.com/Threaded/showthread.php?t=88256

Marvin Candle / Edgar Halowax / Mark Wickmund are all analogues for Human Torches.

I got a bridge for sale too. :biglaugh:

I don't really understand why everyone who's posted in this thread is so sceptical about what amounts to a general reference to the FF. This show is full of such references, and people have bought into much more obscure ideas.

I love this theory. :biggrin:
I guess maybe Charolette could be invisible in that perhaps there's more there than first appears (she looks suspicious to me)

What a fabby idea this thread presents - and here's why for me:

I saw the Fantastic 4 on tv only recently, and reacted thus:

Their leader - bland but inoffensive. Nice bloke doing a decent job of coping with weirdness.
That prat with the flaming underwear - I thought he was a prat and didn't give a sod about his flaming underwear! :mad: he was up himself. Not charming, a smart-arse rather than funny. A jerk.
The Thing - I liked him! very sympathetic.
The woman - meh. Too pretty to screw up her little face with exertion, so have make-up give her a nose bleed instead. NOW we can see how much effort she's putting in to saving the world (or whatever - I didn't care enough to pay attention).

Now the freighties:

Dan - warmed to him immediately. But I like the skinny, odd ones so...
Miles - :rolleyes: Pffft! what a tosser.
Frank - :biggrin: looks like John, sounds like John - did me a Capricorn One climb up that hill. I'm sold.
Charlotte - a bit meh - very nice, but a bit insipid... weak but over sweetened tea.

My strongest reactions were to the characters paired by the OP, and the same in each case. Charlotte I think has potential though - she's already getting rankled and more interesting because of it.

I'm stealing part of my response to an unrelated thread to add here:

I think the Fantastic Four references are very clear. We know that the writers are huge comic book fans. In fact, the minute someone said Freighter Four was a tip of the hat to the Fantastic Four, I knew right away who each character paralleled without needing anyone to spell it out...including who Miles was. He is clearly the wisecracking, hotshot one of the group who shoots his mouth off and is into using his power early on to get material goods...and who was that? He was named Johnny Storm...or the Human Torch.

When I read someone saying they were a nod to the Fantastic Four, I knew immediately who Faraday, Lapidus, and Miles were from my extensive reading of comic books when I was a kid (proud geek). The only one that doesn't quite fit is Charlotte, other than being a woman. (Although I do want to comment that if there are any Daniel/Charlotte shippers out there, they should be all over this--since their Fantastic Four parallels were a couple).

When I read someone saying they were a nod to the Fantastic Four, I knew immediately who Faraday, Lapidus, and Miles were from my extensive reading of comic books when I was a kid (proud geek). The only one that doesn't quite fit is Charlotte, other than being a woman. (Although I do want to comment that if there are any Daniel/Charlotte shippers out there, they should be all over this--since their Fantastic Four parallels were a couple).

I only know the basics about the Fantastic Four (didn't see the recent movies, either), but from what you bring up I agree, the Freighter Four do kind of evoke the Fantastic Four. I can see them being a nod to the FF in a general sense.

And I totally see what you mean about the Miles/Human Torch correspondence. Johnny Storm = Miles Straum.

I just remembered this thread, and I think we now know why Charlotte is "the invisible woman" parallel in the Fantastic Four.

Any chance this means she is still into play even though she has died? Could it foreshadow her helping out in spirit/energy form, or is she is just invisible because she no longer exists?